Prompt: Major Assignment 3
Requirements: 1000-1500 words
Due Date: TBD
Rubric Blocks: Process (50 pts); Organization (20 pts); Evidence (20 pts); Student Goals (10 pts)
Assignment Description
In Unit 2, we explored various style elements appearing in a number of mentor texts, and each of you analyzed those elements further in your essays. Our discussions of voice, tone, imagery, diction, punctuation, and other elements began to unfold a world of unique possibilities in writing. This assignment asks you to take what you’ve learned a step further. Your own personal writing style deserves as much care and attention as you give to our mentor texts. With cultivation and practice, you can begin to develop your own style, address the weaknesses in your writing, and continue to develop your strengths.
For this assignment, you’ll be analyzing your own style: looking for elements that appear often; probing weaknesses; discovering strengths; and determining how you would like to develop your style in the future. This process should allow you to take stock of where you stand as a writer, how you have improved over the course of this semester, and specifically how your writing will continue to improve after this semester.
Assignment Instructions
First, gather together some examples of your own writing. I’d suggest using MA1 and MA2, but apart from those texts, the choice is yours. You might use pre- and post-writing documents from this class; essays from other classes; extracurricular fiction or nonfiction you’ve written in the past year or so; etc. If you’re unsure whether or not a text would be appropriate, send me an email and we’ll discuss your options. You’ll probably want 3-6 sources to work from, but if they’re particularly short, feel free to add a few more.
As you did with your mentor texts for MA2, you’ll want to read them multiple times, marking elements you find interesting or important and taking notes when you find patterns. Try to focus on something different each time you read it.
Next, you’ll bring your texts to class, where we’ll look at some more mentor texts, and you’ll have the opportunity to share some of your ideas in small groups.
You’ll then start to organize the evidence you’ve gathered from your chosen texts. First, decide which elements of style seem the most unique to or characteristic of your writing, or, if you’d rather, which elements interest you the most. Again, I suggest keeping the number between 4-6, but contact me if you have other ideas. You’ll want to make connections between the elements and develop strong transitions
As with Major Assignment 2, plan out your essay using a method that suits you (see MA1). You’ll have time to work on this in class, too, but the majority of the planning stage should be considered homework. Remember, organization and evidence are 40% of the grade for this paper, so pay close attention to how you’re presenting your points and what evidence you’re using to support your claims about your style. Your thesis statement should make a clear, arguable, detailed claim about which elements of style you think are the most central in the texts you have chosen.
Your essay (1000-1500 words) should make a clear, confident argument about which elements of style you find the most compelling in your writing. Each of your major points (the 4-6 elements of style) should include compelling evidence from the passages you analyzed, using a variety of source integration styles. Consider your audience: what type of evidence is most likely to convince? Remember that while referring your readers back to the primary text is important, you don’t want to overwhelm your readers with lots of quotes and little analysis. Watch out for what They Say, I Say calls “hit and run” quotations–always back up your use of sources with analysis and proof of the source’s importance to your argument! In your concluding paragraphs (but after you wrap up your primary argument), please reflect on what this process taught you about your style and how you anticipate it developing in the future.
Assignment Schedule
Week 1: Choose and analyze texts. In class, learn more about elements of style.
Week 2: Planning week. Continue to analyze your texts. At the end of the week, submit a planning document to the appropriate folder on eLC. In class, we’ll have planning workshops and continue to explore style.
Week 3: Drafting week. Plan to submit a very rough draft by the end of this week. In class, we’ll have drafting workshops and have small-group discussions about style and organization.
Week 4: Peer review and conferences. Groups will alternate between group conferences and peer review. Plan to submit the appropriate draft on each day.
Week 5: Revise and submit your grading draft by the end of the week.